


Circus' Song

by Alexander_Wesker



Category: The Greatest Showman (2017)
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Barnum is a siren, Drabble and Oneshort collection, Gen, Mythical Beings & Creatures, but it's particular I can't explain it easly in the tags
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-22
Updated: 2019-02-02
Packaged: 2019-10-14 06:51:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17503703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alexander_Wesker/pseuds/Alexander_Wesker
Summary: The protesters called him the 'King of the Freaks', they didn't know they were right. And that he was something far more terrifying. That he was a monster in man's clothing.





	1. The Siren's Song

**Author's Note:**

> Additional Warnings: None

Sirens.  
It is easy to imagine them, and in one way or another, everyone knows their appearance.  
The bust of a beautiful woman with long hair dancing with the waves and the tail of a fish the iridescent fins that disappear in the sea foam.  
Their song is a cursed magic, destined to attract those who hear it to certain death.  
But not all sirens have a tail and not all are women.

 

* * *

 

  
_Ladies and gents, this is the moment you've waited for_

The audience was silent, everyone's eyes focused on the ringmaster.

  
Their eyes glassy like glass marbles, their expressions empty, no, captured, they seemed fascinated ... enchanted.

  
Carmine and gold that shone before their eyes that followed them fascinated.  
At that moment the ringmaster could have ordered them anything. And everyone would have done it.  
His voice was warm, joyous, welcoming as if it were the warmth of the fire, drawing them all like a flame would do with moths.

But he remains far away, elusive.

  
_But that was okay._

  
Only the privilege of his presence was enough for their enchanted minds.

  
Their eyes followed him and as the show continued, Phineas smiled.  
( _The most animal part of him that whispered him to drown them all_ )

  
His voice that chained them to his will (but only as long as and how he will) and he has always valued too much the freedom of others to force his will so tightly.  
He loosened his grip on their minds and as in a wave that glazed look disappeared and everyone's eyes sparkled with joy and wonder.

  
The ringmaster couldn't help but notice the frowning critic in the crowd.

  
The thing bothered him, but he let it go.

  
Some people are immune to the siren song after all. Even if, he hoped he was not immune to the charm of his voice.  
(And if he had not been such a known man, he would have let the sea swallow him).

  
When the show ended everyone applauded and left the circus happy. No one troubled by those few minutes of void, without any memory, which had regard to what had happened exactly after the beginning of the exhibition.


	2. Never anger a Siren

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He would do anything to protect his friends, his family, even if they will be scared of him for it

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Addictional Warnings: Minor Characters Death, Drowning(implied), a bit of angst, protesters that are as as*holish as usual

Sirens are dangerous creatures, but it's easy to forget when there's nothing unnatural about him.  
But the change in his attitude is evident, his eyes are as cold as the abyss of the ocean.

  
"Gentlemen, I ask you to leave, the show is over," he said politely, his tone as impersonal as anyone had ever heard him.

  
One of them, one of those protesters - who dared to hurt his family, burn down his circus (at that moment he doesn't even care that they aren't the same people who did it) - took a step towards him. A sneer of mockery on his face"Or what, _ringmaster_? What are you going to do if we don't ?"

Phineas didn't respond, not immediately, while trying to keep his most instinctive part at bay (S _ing to them, says that animal whisper, drag them away from the harbor, let them drown. Let the fish do what you don't want to do._ ). The protester laughed at his silence.

"The circus is closed. You are trespassing in private property, gentlemen, if you don't leave immediately I will call the police" he then said

  
It was only then that Phineas noticed the others - his family (what his siren part sees as his shoal) - get closer, they seemed worried to see him surrounded, but also ready to act if something went wrong.

  
Phineas tried to beckon them to get away and at that moment the 'leader' of that small group of contestants noticed them. He laughed and said something. Something that after the event , Phineas cannot even remember clearly.

  
But at that moment he _snapped_ , snapped and hoped that his friends, his family, would not be terrified of him, while attacking those contestants. A part of him was not even sure he enchanted them as he dragged them to the ocean. He certainly didn't remember having sung.  
But he remembered to have grabbed one of them by the arm so hard that he felt his bones cracking under his grasp and remembered that he had growled something to the others. But he didn't remember what he said, and when he thinks about it, he cannot even recognize his own voice.

  
After regaining control (under water, five bodies floating around him) he returned to the harbour, but when he saw them there, all there staring at him as he climbed up the saltwater ... the terror gripped him, freezing the blood in his veins . And was certain that they were terrified of him, because if they had not been why they were all so still? Philip and Lettie in front of them as if they believed they had to protect the others from him.

  
That mistrust hurt him, as if he had got stabbed. It hurt him but he understood it.

  
They had realized that they were dealing with a real monster.

  
And for this at the exact moment Philip stepped forward, Phineas dived back into the dark water, ignoring the fact that he and Lettie called him.

  
He couldn't face their judgment, he couldn't ...

  
A part of him knew, hoped strongly, that they would accept him, but he was scared, so, so scared ...


	3. The Siren Fears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Siren song is like a charming spell, after you heard it you're chained to the will of the Siren who sang it. And the worst thing is that you'll never know, nor feel that something is wrong. And thats what he fears the most.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Additional warnings: Angst, Insecure!Barnum, Hurt no Comfort. 
> 
> (Please someone give me some even remotly happy prompt... I'm starting to make myself cry with my drabbles)

The Siren song is like a charming spell, after you heard it you're chained to the will of the Siren who sang it. And the worst thing is that you'll never know, nor feel that something is wrong.

* * *

  
' _One day she'll woke up_ '  
That was one of the last things that Phineas' father told him.

  
And even if at first, Phineas didn't understand at first what he meant, now that is his worst fear. That the woman he loves so much, with his whole soul and heart, didn't really love him, but that she was only charmed by his voice.

  
He couldn't control his powers the first time he had spoken to her, and even now, even if he can't feel that link, that fine thread that he felt whenever someone is under his control. He _feared_.

  
He feared that someday, in a distant future or a near present, his beautiful, perfect, Charity would woke from the charm he unconsciously put on her. He feared that he had actually _charmed_ her and that none of her love is... _real_.  
He feared that he had condamned his daughters with the same curse that he has. Condamned to be not really human, nor completely the cruel sea beast that he should have been.

  
Those are the things that the ringmaster feared the most, the ones that he could ever be sure if they are real or not. And yet, none of it shows, even if his fears are slowly eating all of his optimism, even if he feels like his heart is rotting at every beat, he never shows it.

  
_He has such a wonderful family(charm or not) and he will not allow his fears to ruin it._


End file.
